Posted on 06/16/2004 1:51:25 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Senate Republicans plan to force Democrats to choose sides on same-sex marriage by scheduling a vote on a constitutional amendment in mid-July.
The vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment, which bans same-sex marriage, would take place just as the Democratic Party prepares to begin its presidential nominating convention in Boston, reports Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper.
Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., the Republican Conference chairman, told the paper GOP leaders are not ready to announced a specific date, but confirmed they want a July vote.
"We are sort of running the traps on this right now and sort of seeing what kind of response we are getting," Santorum said yesterday after a Republican policy lunch. "We are talking about it. I think there are a couple of meetings to be had yet before any official announcement is made."
Republican activist Gary Bauer, a former GOP presidential candidate, said in an e-mail dispatch yesterday a vote has been scheduled for July 15.
"We have one month to flood congressional offices with phone calls, letters and e-mails," said Bauer, president of Virginia-based American Values.
The enactment of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts last month strenghtened the resolve of traditional marriage defenders to pass an amendment.
The Massachusetts high court decided Nov. 18 homosexual couples are legally entitled to wed under the state constitution and should be allowed to apply for marriage licenses, overturning a ruling by a lower court in May 2002.
A leading proponent of traditional marriage, Dr. James Dobson, said the silver lining in developments in Massachusetts last month is that millions of Americans might finally be ready to say, "Enough is enough."
"It has never been clearer," Dobson said, "that the [amendment] is our last, best chance to preserve marriage for future generations."
Last month, Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, which specializes in constitutional law, testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, urging members to approve House Joint Resolution 56, which affirms in law marriage as an institution between one man and one woman.
He told members of the subcommittee hundreds of thousands of Americans had signed his group's "Petition to Preserve Marriage," which urges Congress to pass the amendment without delay.
In its testimony, the ACLJ contended the amendment "serves to resolve the uncertainties that have been artificially interjected into what would otherwise be fairly described as an entirely and clearly settled question of law."
It would be a miracle if the FMA gets makes it through the Senate much less than get a two-thirds vote in the House.
"It would be a miracle if the FMA gets makes it through the Senate much less than get a two-thirds vote in the House."
For now that may be true. The real reason is to get members of Congress on the record.
To avoid a vote they'll just filibuster it, I expect.
All their years of propaganda, even to the point of adopting a new euphemism to describe their perversion ("gay"), and it goes down the drain with the next generation. LOL!!!
Time to remind our congresscritters that the majority of Americans oppose same-sex marriage!
The Democrats in Louisiana voted to hold the statewide vote in September at a cost of 2 million dollars just to keep the conservative vote from rallying in November.
Yeah, kerry will not be able to vote. He is too busy doing the work of the people.
Something tells me the GOP senators lack the spine to make this ploy work.
Wait a minute, I remember now what that something is:
Experience!
("Paging Senator Hatch! Paging Senator Hatch! Your spinal transplant is ready!")
Sure would make the election in Dakota interesting for Little Tommmy.
What do you expect, its not like his job as a Senator is a real one anyway.
What do you expect, its not like his job as a Senator is a real one anyway.
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